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kinkfestTitle: Fly On
Author/Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
syvia
Rating: R
Warnings: sex, adult language.
Word Count: 4283
Summary: Time frame- a handful of months after KH2. It should have been a simple trip from the Islands to Hollow Bastion. Random meteor showers ruin everyone’s day.
Prompt: 1st - Kingdom Hearts, Sora/Riku/Kairi: road trip - "If you can still stand a person after being trapped in a small gummi ship with them all day, you're either in love or a saint."
Author's Notes: Thanks tocrimsoncookie as always for the beta. :3 The tune of the paopu song is borrowed from 'Ten Green Bottles', not '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall'. Just so you know. ;D
"It's not that there's anything wrong with the engines," Sora grinned. "They're all in one piece, they're just..."
"Not attached to the ship?" Chip filled in oh-so-helpfully.
"Yep. That's pretty much it!"
"Don't worry about a thing, Sora!" Dale said cheerfully.
He grinned, nodded goodbye and turned off the comm. system.
"I'm never driving again," Riku said.
Sora rolled his eyes, still smiling. "Oh come on- it wasn't your fault we ran into a meteor shower." Now he turned, looked at Riku sitting in one of the passenger seats Kairi standing at his shoulder. Her fingers threaded into his silver hair, combing it away from the knot forming on the side of his head. Riku winced- and it wasn't from the prodding.
"Never again."
Sora bit back a sigh, grinned evilly instead.
"Hey guys-" he waited until they were looking at him, and started to bounce a little in his seat. "Ninety-nine paopus, hanging in the tree-"
Kairi broke out into a grin, which she quickly hid. Riku's eyes went wide before he scowled. A much better look than the guilt-and-doom-glare-of-brooding.
"Sora-"
"Ninety-nine paopus, hanging in the tree-
and if one of those paopus
gets eaten, there would be-"
"Sora, I will hurt you-"
"Only ninety-eight paopus, hanging in the tree!"
"Kairi," Riku begged, "make him stop."
She hummed along instead.
Kairi had consolidated the blankets and sleeping bags into a nest about an hour ago. Sora looked unbearably cute in the middle of it, face half buried in one of the blankets and lips parted. Kairi looked just as cute climbing out of it- hair mussed and sleep-shorts riding up on her hips before she smoothed them down.
"You don't have to keep me company."
She smiled with her eyes half-closed, and padded over to the console. She leaned against it to face him.
"It's my watch. You should get some sleep."
Riku shrugged.
"You're not punishing yourself by taking all the shifts, are you?" her tone was light, but he wasn't fooled. There- there in the depth of blue-violet was a gleam that said if he answered wrong, sleeping Sora or no, he was going to get an earful.
It also said she knew damn well that he felt guilty and was trying to make up for it.
He shrugged again. "I won't be able to sleep."
Kairi made a face, concerned, and a little wry, "We're okay, you know. That meteor didn't knock out the radar, or life support, or-"
"I know," Riku said quietly. "But it's still... dark out there."
She kept staring. Riku looked away, briefly at the engines, drifting in the Gummi's abnormal 'sticky' gravity but well away from the ship, and into the field of stars beyond the windows. When he spoke, it was in a hush, breathless and hurried.
"We got home... I had trouble sleeping. There was so much to sense, and it was familiar, but it never felt like that before. There was too much to keep track of and I couldn't sleep at night, trying to identify everything- decide it wasn't a threat. But the Islands are safe... and I got used to it. Now we're out here and it's like I'm back in the Realm of Darkness."
"Riku," Kairi murmured. She held his gaze and his beautiful, beautiful eyes were wide. There was fear in them and Kairi knew that wasn't all of it. "...Are you afraid that you'll wake up and we won't be here?"
He flinched, and made a sound as he looked away from her, something like his breath had reached up to choke him. Kairi slipped into his personal space, between the console and his legs, into his embrace as his arms opened to take her in. Kairi eased herself onto his lap, leaned back against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I feel that way too sometimes," she murmured.
Riku sighed. Kairi felt it move through his body and ruffle her hair a bit. Then he wrapped his arms close around her waist.
"You just have to remind yourself- if it ever happens, we'll find each other again."
He sighed again and leaned his head forward. His lips pressed into her shoulder, nose against her collarbone.
"We will?"
She smiled, warm and comfortable, and put her smaller hands over his. "It's what we do."
Riku woke up with a sleeping Kairi in his arms, and a fully awake (still adorably rumpled) Sora standing by the comm. with a blanket around his shoulders.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday- this is the Gummi ship Excalibur requesting aid, repeat, the Gummi ship Excalibur, requesting aid. Our coordinates are three five two point zero nine by six five one point four two." He repeated the coordinates again, more slowly, into a small black box. It was connected to the communications board with a spiraling cord.
Riku watched him finish speaking and lift his finger from a button on the side of the box. He pushed the box into a niche and pushed a few buttons. A small green lightbulb turned on, dimmed, and then grew brighter, blinking slowly. Sora glanced at them- then turned his head and smiled.
"Hey."
"Hey," Riku murmured. "What's-"
"The King contacted us while you were sleeping. They built their ship the same way we did," Sora grimaced. "He doesn't want to risk flying through the meteor shower that knocked us out, so it's taking them longer to get here. He said we should have a distress call running- maybe someone else in the area will hear and help us out."
Riku didn't change expression, but he hugged Kairi a little tighter. She made a noise and snuggled into his shirt. "Not everyone passing this way might be friendly."
"Nothing we can't handle," Sora shrugged.
False bravado. They hadn't put enough shields on this thing- preferring speed over battle capabilities. Trying to shave time off the route to Hollow Bastion had already screwed them over. It had only taken one meteor to knock the engines off the ship. Two or three torpedoes would destroy them entirely.
Nothing they could do about it now.
"Nothing we can't handle," Riku echoed.
"What was that song, Kairi?"
She looked away from the window, humming a question.
"You know," Sora said, "that one you like to sing on long car trips- your mom taught it to you when you were little?"
"Ninety-nine paopus," Riku began in a mocking sing-song.
"No no no," Sora drowned him out, "the one about the bird."
Kairi smiled, looking away. "Not my mom... my grandmother taught it to me."
The boys watched her, waiting for her to speak.
"In Radiant Garden- before I came to the islands. I used to sing it when I was little, and my mother liked it so much, she wrote it down, so I'd always have it. I only remember about half but..." she started humming, murmuring half-words to herself before she raised her voice.
"... on, grey seagull
fly on.
Spread your wings to the sky,
let them carry you high,
fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Let the waves hear your call,
as you soar o'er them all,
fly on, grey seagull
fly on."
They watched her, smiling a little. Sora showing teeth, Riku showing none, and she returned their grins, shrugging.
"That's it. But now I'm gonna be trying to remember more-"
"Take your mind off it with another song?" Riku smirked. He looked to Sora. Sora laughed.
Kairi had a good singing voice, Riku had good control, and Sora had good practice. Still- none of them were students of music. They raised their voices and what came out, came out.
Somehow they lifted a three-part harmony into the air and set it bouncing around the cockpit.
"Forty-two paopus, hanging in the tree,"
they’d been at it for a while now,
"Forty-two paopus, hanging in the tree,
and if one of those paopus
were eaten, there would be
only forty-one paopus, hanging on the tree."
"Honestly? I just wanted him to shut the hell up."
Kairi laid down one set of cards, closed her eyes briefly. Naminé picked up the other and fanned them out between her hands.
Roxas smirked and studied his. "I think we all felt that way about Xemnas at some point- hearts or no."
Riku sighed and pulled three of the five cards pinned by his long fingers. "Why let an enemy monologue, screw with your head or stall for time, when you can just attack them?" he mused.
"When I worked for the Organization," Roxas countered, "I didn't. Unless one of the others wanted me to."
"You let me talk," Riku said.
"You had something relevant to say," and Roxas smirked. It was a very Roxas smirk, and sat a bit oddly on Sora's face.
"Sometimes listening to them gives you the chance to make snappy comebacks," Kairi emerged long enough to comment, and to slip two cards from her hand, setting them in the middle of the circle made by their extended and folded legs. Roxas held the deck in one hand and passed her cards to replace the ones she'd laid down. Kairi tucked the new hand under her arm and Naminé discarded card one. Roxas dealt her another.
They wouldn't both have been playing- except Poker was better with four people, and Sora had dozed off... again. Not to mention Naminé's unexplained fondness for the game.
"Three," Riku said as Roxas cast a wary look at Naminé's single discard.
"Dealer takes two," Roxas said.
They showed their hands. Roxas- two pair. Riku had a small straight, Kairi had a flush- all hearts. Naminé smiled serenely and held up a full house, Jacks over Queens.
Roxas shook his head, "It's the quiet ones you have to watch."
They had lunch. They stretched, because the lack of standing or walking or doing anything but sitting was making their legs ache. Then Sora caught Riku staring at him, a Look there that he knew well.
Distantly, he heard Kairi mutter 'uh-oh'. Then she was moving, gathering up the blankets and pillows and shoving them in front of the chairs. The moment she had gotten to 'safety', out came the Keyblades.
"You two are insane. You realize that, right?" Kairi asked, using the back of the pilot's chair as a shield.
The ring of metal on metal filled the cockpit and somehow, somehow her boys hadn't punched a hole in it or each other... yet. There was enough room behind the seats to circle, and to trade blows, and to move so fast that the Kingdom Key and Way to the Dawn blurred.
But that's what it was all about. Control. Precision. Doing exactly what was required and no more- a skill that Sora appeared to be learning from the inside out. During Roxas' short career as a Keyblade Bearer and the thirteenth member of Organization XIII, he had been defeated in battle once.
But ‘Ansem’ hadn’t done it with a blade.
Sora fought using pure instinct, skills he'd picked up from other people and some he'd taught himself by accident. "Roxas says I'm sloppy," he said affably, "and tight spaces are the best place to practice control."
"Where you could breach the hull and kill us all."
"It's extra incentive not to mess up!"
Riku only smirked, held his Keyblade above his head and beckoned Sora forward with his other hand.
They closed distance far too quickly to be safe and Kairi winced.
She winced quite a bit- even though she knew they were good enough that they weren't going to hurt each other by accident. Even though they could dispel the Keyblades as fast and easy as breathing. Even though they had made peace with the fights that had been real, and deadly serious. She always did it- even when they were five years old on the play island and it was half 'fighting' and half Riku telling Sora he was doing it wrong. She didn't enjoy seeing them fight.
But she'd never wanted to be the distraction that got one of them hurt- so she dug her fingers into the hem of her shirt. She clenched them tight at one pass, the scrape of blade against blade... and relaxed. Clenched at the catch of key-teeth on a small white-feathered wing... and relaxed. Clench... and relax....
They’d been sparring for a while now. Both breathing heavy, sweating a little, but Sora didn’t feel tired. Riku seemed a little distracted, but Way to the Dawn was steady as ever, so they kept going. But he started wondering- what was the distraction?
Then he wondered a little too hard- got distracted himself- overextended and that was it.
Sora stayed where he’d fallen, wind knocked out of him, one arm pinned at the small of his back. Riku’s hand was on his wrist, breath in his ear, hard-on pressed into his... wait, what?
"No." Sora said. Riku didn't let go, and he decided it would be wise to repeat himself. "No-no."
"But you're so pretty," Kairi murmured from somewhere above him. Aw hell. If she were interested, she couldn't help him talk Riku down. Sora put his weight on his other arm, pushed- and it was too little, too late, because Riku grabbed that wrist and transferred both to one hand.
"Please?" just a breath. No teasing- no bravado. It was just... Riku, vulnerable in the way they knew he was, but hardly ever saw- even when they were alone. It wasn't manipulation even though it always got Sora to cooperate. Like it did now, because Sora moaned as Riku ground his hips against his leg, and let Riku pull him upward to sit on his heels- leaned forward so they (Kairi was there suddenly, handing something to Riku and haphazardly pushing the blankets back around them) could pull his shorts down and Riku could touch him.
"We shouldn't be doing this," Sora said, breath hitching on the last word as his muscles clenched... and slowly relaxed... around Riku's slicked finger.
"It's your own fault," Kairi breathed, hands on his chest, rucking his shirt up around his armpits and moving closer until their knees lay next to each other and alternated- his and hers and his and hers and she was holding him up. Riku had his wrists pinned together behind his back and held them there, sucking where Sora's neck and shoulder met. "You two," she said between kisses that used a little bit of teeth, almost hurt, "get all hot and sweaty," fingers digging into his bared hip and it really was unfair that she still had clothes on, "and aroused and-"
"What if someone calls, or-" he groaned, tried to keep talking despite the second finger and Riku's obsessive attention to detail. The warmth of their bodies close to his in the chilly, regulated air of the cockpit. His arms ached a little, bearable. They had pulled his pants down just enough for access- they were pinned in his folded legs, toes curled against the floor and being half clothed- the urgency and knowing the video feed could flicker to life any time- someone could radio in. He felt dirty... in a good way.
Kairi took his face in her hands, murmuring his name before she moved away, wriggling out of her shorts, then the baggy shirt she'd worn because they weren't going anywhere soon, and there was no reason to look presentable. It was just the three of them.
He stared, and Riku pressed fingers into him slowly, easily, like they had all the time in the world. Sora breathed, and felt that repetitive touch driving him insane as Kairi stripped out of her clothes and held his gaze all the while, watching him watch her.
Wanted her- even as Riku had him, but it was okay. They all did. Riku was watching her too and he breathed a curse as she stood naked before them- took his fingers away, fumbling his pants with oil-slicked fingers. The hand on Sora's wrists was just as slick, warm and clammy with sweat, but Riku never let go, and he leaned over Sora's shoulder, Kairi leaning forward and they kissed like they would die if they couldn't touch one another. Riku's chest touched his shoulder, and Kairi's breasts against his skin and Sora grunted, struggling a little. They pressed against him from both sides and he wanted to touch them, desperately wanted- swore softly when Riku thrust in, and Kairi took him in hand, stroking once, twice, and then guiding herself onto him.
He was muttering oaths, gasping, and he forgot to pull against Riku's hand as Riku thrust into him, and pushed him into Kairi's heat, and he stopped remembering the comm. system- stopped thinking about his arms even though they still ached. He kissed Kairi when she pressed her skin close to his mouth- skimmed his teeth over her arms when she wrapped them around his shoulders. Riku thrust into him, and Kairi leaned back, shoulders against the wall of the cockpit, pushing herself down as Riku pushed forward, and he was trapped between them, happy to be, mindless and body melted with pleasure and he couldn't see past the sparks in his vision.
Kairi shouted something, tightening her grip on his shoulders, holding herself close to him and Sora breathed out, releasing- his body clenching all over before he came, and felt the surge of warmth inside him that was Riku following them.
Riku's arms trembled a little, holding him steady as he let go of Sora's wrists, finally, and helped guide them down to the blankets. Kairi shifted, gasping softly as she pulled away- then accepted his arms sliding around her waist. There was a film of sweat over their skin, each of them, cooling on the heat of their bodies. Riku curled against Sora's back, tugging a blanket upward and stifling a complaint as Sora reached down- relieved himself of his sweat-damp shorts. He chuckled softly. Kairi shivered in his arms and Riku tugged his shirt.
Sora grunted. "Just leave it..." he muttered.
Kairi smoothed it back down, Riku helped, and they moved limbs and blankets until they were comfortable, a warm tangle without the strength to make any further adjustments.
King Mickey turned off the radio, studiously looking away from Donald's furious blush and Goofy's knowing look.
"We'll just... give them the update in an hour or two."
Donald muttered something about really, really missing Daisy right now. Goofy chuckled.
They made do with the sink. The Gummi had a bathroom, thankfully, but no shower and no bathtub. Sink, toilet, and a little drain in the floor that went who-knew where. Kairi cleaned herself up as best she could (yay for packing your own soap and the washcloths supplied in the Gummi) and listened to her boys getting a report from the King.
Mickey was as cheerful as ever- and Goofy. Something seemed to have Donald in a huff, but that was just as normal. Kairi got dressed. She felt a tad scummy, but she'd live. She got out in time to say goodbye, and see Donald blushing. Riku went to have his turn in the bathroom and Sora grinned at her, blushing faintly himself.
"Good thing they called after we were done, huh?"
Kairi grinned wickedly, then blinked, turned in horror to the blank screen. She opened her mouth- and Sora pressed a finger against her lips. He blushed harder, shaking his head and glancing in the direction of the bathroom- the sound of water running. If Riku didn't know... he shouldn’t find out. He'd be even more embarrassed than they were. If King Mickey and the guys weren't going to bring it up, that was Just Fine.
"Yeah," Kairi said slowly, nodding, "what did they say?"
"Meteor shower's still going. They're looking for a way to get around it."
Kairi sighed. "We should eat again."
"Sure," Sora put an arm around her shoulders, squeezed. "I'm hungry. Eating is good."
She chuckled softly. "I know you wanted to eat when we got to Radiant Garden-"
Sora laughed, "We’ll be there for a week and they’ll get plenty of chances. Besides, it's not that they'll be upset, it's that Aerith's cooking is so bad that only hunger makes it better.”
The radar was still working perfectly, and warned of the incoming craft. They could see it just as easily out the front windows-
"Woah."
Riku nodded. "Solar sails. They catch the light from suns, the stars, all the energy just hanging around in space."
"You ever been on a ship like that, Riku?" Sora murmured.
He shook his head. "I've wandered through a few spaceports."
Kairi smiled. "It's beautiful."
"Let's just hope they're friendly."
Sora chuckled and picked up the communications receiver, which had begun to beep.
"-Ship Excalibur, this is Captain Amelia of the RLS Legacy, come in."
"RLS Legacy, this is Sora, pilot of the Gummi Ship Excalibur. We receive you, Captain."
"You seem to be in a spot of trouble, Mister Sora. How can we be of assistance?"
"We had a run-in with a few meteors, Captain," he said cheerfully. "I bet you can see our engines floating near the ship. If you could give us a hand re-attaching them, that'd be a really big help."
"Ah, your craft does not possess Atmospheric Generators. Not to fret- as we grow closer to your ship, it will drift within our air shield. You may move about the outside of your craft."
"Ah...heh, we don't actually have a door- but when your ship gets a little closer, we should be able to Jump over."
"Would you care to clarify that... ahhhh, you have teleportation capabilities. Fascinating."
They were invited to tour the ship. Riku wasn't so interested in the workings of the Legacy as he was in her crew because everyone, everyone smelled.
The Darkness was thick enough to spread on toast and eat with breakfast. Not that you'd want to. The Captain was bright and clear- swirls of darkness in her that she kept under tight control- to use against the truly worthy. Mister Arrow was a pure breeze in the midst of everyone else's stench, but there was Darkness in him too- enough that he wasn’t afraid of doing what had to be done.
Dr. Doppler lacked their strength of darkness- the most normal of them all. Mister Silver had an odd sparkle of light to him in the midst of his darkness. He might... might be worth trusting. The rest were dark. Not only dark but Dark, through and through. Captain Amelia seemed to know it, and her expression was wry as she declined their offer of aid.
Sora was still trying to talk her into it. Kairi stood close by them, playing with the tiny shape shifter who kept making himself into different pieces of jewelry and refused to leave her hair/ears/neck/arms. They lingered near the Gummi, anchored by well-knotted ropes on the starboard side of the ship.
Riku moved nonchalantly to the side of the cabin boy, who looked at them with no little envy and tried to pretend he was doing anything but.
"Watch Scroup," Riku muttered to Jim- who reminded him way, way too much of himself at the same age. "He's the worst of the lot."
The kid flinched, didn't pause the slide of his mop against the deck. "What'd you know?" he said, sullen, but wary. He knew what was going on- at least in part.
"I know a crew of pirates when I see 'em," Riku murmured. He moved on, back to his friends.
They parted ways with the Legacy and Riku watched the ship grow smaller out the windows, frowning.
"He'll be alright," Kairi said.
It was a testament to how far Riku had come- he didn't feel embarrassed, didn't feel like he needed to hide what he'd been thinking. He simply nodded.
"I hope so."
"No," Sora grinned at the screen. "We're good! But you're welcome to come to Hollow Bastion with us- since we're all nearly there anyway."
Donald grumbled something about making them come all this way for nothing, but he didn't sound as annoyed as he could have.
"Aw gee, fellas," King Mickey grinned. "It's a swell offer, but we've gotta check up on Master Yen Sid. If you're still around when we're done there, we'll stop in to say hi!"
"I guess we'll just have to stay longer then," Riku smirked.
They exchanged goodbyes and shut off the comm., then took off in different directions- watching as the King's ship disappearing into space. There was silence as they closed in on Hollow Bastion. Then Kairi's lips parted-
"Oh."
Riku glanced at her, blinked at the brilliant smile and the slight shimmer in her eyes.
"The sky may be dark
and the wind may be blowing,
but the sea is your friend
and you know where you're going,
fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Fly on, grey seagull
fly on."
There was silence- peaceful joy and expectation, then Sora began to laugh.
"Guys..." he swiveled in his chair, grinned at them, eyes shining, "we did it." They blinked... and understood. Sora rubbed his hand over the console. "It's not exactly a raft-"
Kairi smiled broadly, "And we've already been to Hollow Bastion."
“But we did it! We finally did it.”
Riku grinned. "It's not really about the destination." They smiled at him, agreed with him. It wasn't where you were going, and it wasn't how you got there that made a journey.
It was the people who traveled with you.
Author/Artist:
syviaRating: R
Warnings: sex, adult language.
Word Count: 4283
Summary: Time frame- a handful of months after KH2. It should have been a simple trip from the Islands to Hollow Bastion. Random meteor showers ruin everyone’s day.
Prompt: 1st - Kingdom Hearts, Sora/Riku/Kairi: road trip - "If you can still stand a person after being trapped in a small gummi ship with them all day, you're either in love or a saint."
Author's Notes: Thanks to
crimsoncookie as always for the beta. :3 The tune of the paopu song is borrowed from 'Ten Green Bottles', not '99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall'. Just so you know. ;D "It's not that there's anything wrong with the engines," Sora grinned. "They're all in one piece, they're just..."
"Not attached to the ship?" Chip filled in oh-so-helpfully.
"Yep. That's pretty much it!"
"Don't worry about a thing, Sora!" Dale said cheerfully.
He grinned, nodded goodbye and turned off the comm. system.
"I'm never driving again," Riku said.
Sora rolled his eyes, still smiling. "Oh come on- it wasn't your fault we ran into a meteor shower." Now he turned, looked at Riku sitting in one of the passenger seats Kairi standing at his shoulder. Her fingers threaded into his silver hair, combing it away from the knot forming on the side of his head. Riku winced- and it wasn't from the prodding.
"Never again."
Sora bit back a sigh, grinned evilly instead.
"Hey guys-" he waited until they were looking at him, and started to bounce a little in his seat. "Ninety-nine paopus, hanging in the tree-"
Kairi broke out into a grin, which she quickly hid. Riku's eyes went wide before he scowled. A much better look than the guilt-and-doom-glare-of-brooding.
"Sora-"
"Ninety-nine paopus, hanging in the tree-
and if one of those paopus
gets eaten, there would be-"
"Sora, I will hurt you-"
"Only ninety-eight paopus, hanging in the tree!"
"Kairi," Riku begged, "make him stop."
She hummed along instead.
Kairi had consolidated the blankets and sleeping bags into a nest about an hour ago. Sora looked unbearably cute in the middle of it, face half buried in one of the blankets and lips parted. Kairi looked just as cute climbing out of it- hair mussed and sleep-shorts riding up on her hips before she smoothed them down.
"You don't have to keep me company."
She smiled with her eyes half-closed, and padded over to the console. She leaned against it to face him.
"It's my watch. You should get some sleep."
Riku shrugged.
"You're not punishing yourself by taking all the shifts, are you?" her tone was light, but he wasn't fooled. There- there in the depth of blue-violet was a gleam that said if he answered wrong, sleeping Sora or no, he was going to get an earful.
It also said she knew damn well that he felt guilty and was trying to make up for it.
He shrugged again. "I won't be able to sleep."
Kairi made a face, concerned, and a little wry, "We're okay, you know. That meteor didn't knock out the radar, or life support, or-"
"I know," Riku said quietly. "But it's still... dark out there."
She kept staring. Riku looked away, briefly at the engines, drifting in the Gummi's abnormal 'sticky' gravity but well away from the ship, and into the field of stars beyond the windows. When he spoke, it was in a hush, breathless and hurried.
"We got home... I had trouble sleeping. There was so much to sense, and it was familiar, but it never felt like that before. There was too much to keep track of and I couldn't sleep at night, trying to identify everything- decide it wasn't a threat. But the Islands are safe... and I got used to it. Now we're out here and it's like I'm back in the Realm of Darkness."
"Riku," Kairi murmured. She held his gaze and his beautiful, beautiful eyes were wide. There was fear in them and Kairi knew that wasn't all of it. "...Are you afraid that you'll wake up and we won't be here?"
He flinched, and made a sound as he looked away from her, something like his breath had reached up to choke him. Kairi slipped into his personal space, between the console and his legs, into his embrace as his arms opened to take her in. Kairi eased herself onto his lap, leaned back against his chest and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I feel that way too sometimes," she murmured.
Riku sighed. Kairi felt it move through his body and ruffle her hair a bit. Then he wrapped his arms close around her waist.
"You just have to remind yourself- if it ever happens, we'll find each other again."
He sighed again and leaned his head forward. His lips pressed into her shoulder, nose against her collarbone.
"We will?"
She smiled, warm and comfortable, and put her smaller hands over his. "It's what we do."
Riku woke up with a sleeping Kairi in his arms, and a fully awake (still adorably rumpled) Sora standing by the comm. with a blanket around his shoulders.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday- this is the Gummi ship Excalibur requesting aid, repeat, the Gummi ship Excalibur, requesting aid. Our coordinates are three five two point zero nine by six five one point four two." He repeated the coordinates again, more slowly, into a small black box. It was connected to the communications board with a spiraling cord.
Riku watched him finish speaking and lift his finger from a button on the side of the box. He pushed the box into a niche and pushed a few buttons. A small green lightbulb turned on, dimmed, and then grew brighter, blinking slowly. Sora glanced at them- then turned his head and smiled.
"Hey."
"Hey," Riku murmured. "What's-"
"The King contacted us while you were sleeping. They built their ship the same way we did," Sora grimaced. "He doesn't want to risk flying through the meteor shower that knocked us out, so it's taking them longer to get here. He said we should have a distress call running- maybe someone else in the area will hear and help us out."
Riku didn't change expression, but he hugged Kairi a little tighter. She made a noise and snuggled into his shirt. "Not everyone passing this way might be friendly."
"Nothing we can't handle," Sora shrugged.
False bravado. They hadn't put enough shields on this thing- preferring speed over battle capabilities. Trying to shave time off the route to Hollow Bastion had already screwed them over. It had only taken one meteor to knock the engines off the ship. Two or three torpedoes would destroy them entirely.
Nothing they could do about it now.
"Nothing we can't handle," Riku echoed.
"What was that song, Kairi?"
She looked away from the window, humming a question.
"You know," Sora said, "that one you like to sing on long car trips- your mom taught it to you when you were little?"
"Ninety-nine paopus," Riku began in a mocking sing-song.
"No no no," Sora drowned him out, "the one about the bird."
Kairi smiled, looking away. "Not my mom... my grandmother taught it to me."
The boys watched her, waiting for her to speak.
"In Radiant Garden- before I came to the islands. I used to sing it when I was little, and my mother liked it so much, she wrote it down, so I'd always have it. I only remember about half but..." she started humming, murmuring half-words to herself before she raised her voice.
"... on, grey seagull
fly on.
Spread your wings to the sky,
let them carry you high,
fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Let the waves hear your call,
as you soar o'er them all,
fly on, grey seagull
fly on."
They watched her, smiling a little. Sora showing teeth, Riku showing none, and she returned their grins, shrugging.
"That's it. But now I'm gonna be trying to remember more-"
"Take your mind off it with another song?" Riku smirked. He looked to Sora. Sora laughed.
Kairi had a good singing voice, Riku had good control, and Sora had good practice. Still- none of them were students of music. They raised their voices and what came out, came out.
Somehow they lifted a three-part harmony into the air and set it bouncing around the cockpit.
"Forty-two paopus, hanging in the tree,"
they’d been at it for a while now,
"Forty-two paopus, hanging in the tree,
and if one of those paopus
were eaten, there would be
only forty-one paopus, hanging on the tree."
"Honestly? I just wanted him to shut the hell up."
Kairi laid down one set of cards, closed her eyes briefly. Naminé picked up the other and fanned them out between her hands.
Roxas smirked and studied his. "I think we all felt that way about Xemnas at some point- hearts or no."
Riku sighed and pulled three of the five cards pinned by his long fingers. "Why let an enemy monologue, screw with your head or stall for time, when you can just attack them?" he mused.
"When I worked for the Organization," Roxas countered, "I didn't. Unless one of the others wanted me to."
"You let me talk," Riku said.
"You had something relevant to say," and Roxas smirked. It was a very Roxas smirk, and sat a bit oddly on Sora's face.
"Sometimes listening to them gives you the chance to make snappy comebacks," Kairi emerged long enough to comment, and to slip two cards from her hand, setting them in the middle of the circle made by their extended and folded legs. Roxas held the deck in one hand and passed her cards to replace the ones she'd laid down. Kairi tucked the new hand under her arm and Naminé discarded card one. Roxas dealt her another.
They wouldn't both have been playing- except Poker was better with four people, and Sora had dozed off... again. Not to mention Naminé's unexplained fondness for the game.
"Three," Riku said as Roxas cast a wary look at Naminé's single discard.
"Dealer takes two," Roxas said.
They showed their hands. Roxas- two pair. Riku had a small straight, Kairi had a flush- all hearts. Naminé smiled serenely and held up a full house, Jacks over Queens.
Roxas shook his head, "It's the quiet ones you have to watch."
They had lunch. They stretched, because the lack of standing or walking or doing anything but sitting was making their legs ache. Then Sora caught Riku staring at him, a Look there that he knew well.
Distantly, he heard Kairi mutter 'uh-oh'. Then she was moving, gathering up the blankets and pillows and shoving them in front of the chairs. The moment she had gotten to 'safety', out came the Keyblades.
"You two are insane. You realize that, right?" Kairi asked, using the back of the pilot's chair as a shield.
The ring of metal on metal filled the cockpit and somehow, somehow her boys hadn't punched a hole in it or each other... yet. There was enough room behind the seats to circle, and to trade blows, and to move so fast that the Kingdom Key and Way to the Dawn blurred.
But that's what it was all about. Control. Precision. Doing exactly what was required and no more- a skill that Sora appeared to be learning from the inside out. During Roxas' short career as a Keyblade Bearer and the thirteenth member of Organization XIII, he had been defeated in battle once.
But ‘Ansem’ hadn’t done it with a blade.
Sora fought using pure instinct, skills he'd picked up from other people and some he'd taught himself by accident. "Roxas says I'm sloppy," he said affably, "and tight spaces are the best place to practice control."
"Where you could breach the hull and kill us all."
"It's extra incentive not to mess up!"
Riku only smirked, held his Keyblade above his head and beckoned Sora forward with his other hand.
They closed distance far too quickly to be safe and Kairi winced.
She winced quite a bit- even though she knew they were good enough that they weren't going to hurt each other by accident. Even though they could dispel the Keyblades as fast and easy as breathing. Even though they had made peace with the fights that had been real, and deadly serious. She always did it- even when they were five years old on the play island and it was half 'fighting' and half Riku telling Sora he was doing it wrong. She didn't enjoy seeing them fight.
But she'd never wanted to be the distraction that got one of them hurt- so she dug her fingers into the hem of her shirt. She clenched them tight at one pass, the scrape of blade against blade... and relaxed. Clenched at the catch of key-teeth on a small white-feathered wing... and relaxed. Clench... and relax....
They’d been sparring for a while now. Both breathing heavy, sweating a little, but Sora didn’t feel tired. Riku seemed a little distracted, but Way to the Dawn was steady as ever, so they kept going. But he started wondering- what was the distraction?
Then he wondered a little too hard- got distracted himself- overextended and that was it.
Sora stayed where he’d fallen, wind knocked out of him, one arm pinned at the small of his back. Riku’s hand was on his wrist, breath in his ear, hard-on pressed into his... wait, what?
"No." Sora said. Riku didn't let go, and he decided it would be wise to repeat himself. "No-no."
"But you're so pretty," Kairi murmured from somewhere above him. Aw hell. If she were interested, she couldn't help him talk Riku down. Sora put his weight on his other arm, pushed- and it was too little, too late, because Riku grabbed that wrist and transferred both to one hand.
"Please?" just a breath. No teasing- no bravado. It was just... Riku, vulnerable in the way they knew he was, but hardly ever saw- even when they were alone. It wasn't manipulation even though it always got Sora to cooperate. Like it did now, because Sora moaned as Riku ground his hips against his leg, and let Riku pull him upward to sit on his heels- leaned forward so they (Kairi was there suddenly, handing something to Riku and haphazardly pushing the blankets back around them) could pull his shorts down and Riku could touch him.
"We shouldn't be doing this," Sora said, breath hitching on the last word as his muscles clenched... and slowly relaxed... around Riku's slicked finger.
"It's your own fault," Kairi breathed, hands on his chest, rucking his shirt up around his armpits and moving closer until their knees lay next to each other and alternated- his and hers and his and hers and she was holding him up. Riku had his wrists pinned together behind his back and held them there, sucking where Sora's neck and shoulder met. "You two," she said between kisses that used a little bit of teeth, almost hurt, "get all hot and sweaty," fingers digging into his bared hip and it really was unfair that she still had clothes on, "and aroused and-"
"What if someone calls, or-" he groaned, tried to keep talking despite the second finger and Riku's obsessive attention to detail. The warmth of their bodies close to his in the chilly, regulated air of the cockpit. His arms ached a little, bearable. They had pulled his pants down just enough for access- they were pinned in his folded legs, toes curled against the floor and being half clothed- the urgency and knowing the video feed could flicker to life any time- someone could radio in. He felt dirty... in a good way.
Kairi took his face in her hands, murmuring his name before she moved away, wriggling out of her shorts, then the baggy shirt she'd worn because they weren't going anywhere soon, and there was no reason to look presentable. It was just the three of them.
He stared, and Riku pressed fingers into him slowly, easily, like they had all the time in the world. Sora breathed, and felt that repetitive touch driving him insane as Kairi stripped out of her clothes and held his gaze all the while, watching him watch her.
Wanted her- even as Riku had him, but it was okay. They all did. Riku was watching her too and he breathed a curse as she stood naked before them- took his fingers away, fumbling his pants with oil-slicked fingers. The hand on Sora's wrists was just as slick, warm and clammy with sweat, but Riku never let go, and he leaned over Sora's shoulder, Kairi leaning forward and they kissed like they would die if they couldn't touch one another. Riku's chest touched his shoulder, and Kairi's breasts against his skin and Sora grunted, struggling a little. They pressed against him from both sides and he wanted to touch them, desperately wanted- swore softly when Riku thrust in, and Kairi took him in hand, stroking once, twice, and then guiding herself onto him.
He was muttering oaths, gasping, and he forgot to pull against Riku's hand as Riku thrust into him, and pushed him into Kairi's heat, and he stopped remembering the comm. system- stopped thinking about his arms even though they still ached. He kissed Kairi when she pressed her skin close to his mouth- skimmed his teeth over her arms when she wrapped them around his shoulders. Riku thrust into him, and Kairi leaned back, shoulders against the wall of the cockpit, pushing herself down as Riku pushed forward, and he was trapped between them, happy to be, mindless and body melted with pleasure and he couldn't see past the sparks in his vision.
Kairi shouted something, tightening her grip on his shoulders, holding herself close to him and Sora breathed out, releasing- his body clenching all over before he came, and felt the surge of warmth inside him that was Riku following them.
Riku's arms trembled a little, holding him steady as he let go of Sora's wrists, finally, and helped guide them down to the blankets. Kairi shifted, gasping softly as she pulled away- then accepted his arms sliding around her waist. There was a film of sweat over their skin, each of them, cooling on the heat of their bodies. Riku curled against Sora's back, tugging a blanket upward and stifling a complaint as Sora reached down- relieved himself of his sweat-damp shorts. He chuckled softly. Kairi shivered in his arms and Riku tugged his shirt.
Sora grunted. "Just leave it..." he muttered.
Kairi smoothed it back down, Riku helped, and they moved limbs and blankets until they were comfortable, a warm tangle without the strength to make any further adjustments.
King Mickey turned off the radio, studiously looking away from Donald's furious blush and Goofy's knowing look.
"We'll just... give them the update in an hour or two."
Donald muttered something about really, really missing Daisy right now. Goofy chuckled.
They made do with the sink. The Gummi had a bathroom, thankfully, but no shower and no bathtub. Sink, toilet, and a little drain in the floor that went who-knew where. Kairi cleaned herself up as best she could (yay for packing your own soap and the washcloths supplied in the Gummi) and listened to her boys getting a report from the King.
Mickey was as cheerful as ever- and Goofy. Something seemed to have Donald in a huff, but that was just as normal. Kairi got dressed. She felt a tad scummy, but she'd live. She got out in time to say goodbye, and see Donald blushing. Riku went to have his turn in the bathroom and Sora grinned at her, blushing faintly himself.
"Good thing they called after we were done, huh?"
Kairi grinned wickedly, then blinked, turned in horror to the blank screen. She opened her mouth- and Sora pressed a finger against her lips. He blushed harder, shaking his head and glancing in the direction of the bathroom- the sound of water running. If Riku didn't know... he shouldn’t find out. He'd be even more embarrassed than they were. If King Mickey and the guys weren't going to bring it up, that was Just Fine.
"Yeah," Kairi said slowly, nodding, "what did they say?"
"Meteor shower's still going. They're looking for a way to get around it."
Kairi sighed. "We should eat again."
"Sure," Sora put an arm around her shoulders, squeezed. "I'm hungry. Eating is good."
She chuckled softly. "I know you wanted to eat when we got to Radiant Garden-"
Sora laughed, "We’ll be there for a week and they’ll get plenty of chances. Besides, it's not that they'll be upset, it's that Aerith's cooking is so bad that only hunger makes it better.”
The radar was still working perfectly, and warned of the incoming craft. They could see it just as easily out the front windows-
"Woah."
Riku nodded. "Solar sails. They catch the light from suns, the stars, all the energy just hanging around in space."
"You ever been on a ship like that, Riku?" Sora murmured.
He shook his head. "I've wandered through a few spaceports."
Kairi smiled. "It's beautiful."
"Let's just hope they're friendly."
Sora chuckled and picked up the communications receiver, which had begun to beep.
"-Ship Excalibur, this is Captain Amelia of the RLS Legacy, come in."
"RLS Legacy, this is Sora, pilot of the Gummi Ship Excalibur. We receive you, Captain."
"You seem to be in a spot of trouble, Mister Sora. How can we be of assistance?"
"We had a run-in with a few meteors, Captain," he said cheerfully. "I bet you can see our engines floating near the ship. If you could give us a hand re-attaching them, that'd be a really big help."
"Ah, your craft does not possess Atmospheric Generators. Not to fret- as we grow closer to your ship, it will drift within our air shield. You may move about the outside of your craft."
"Ah...heh, we don't actually have a door- but when your ship gets a little closer, we should be able to Jump over."
"Would you care to clarify that... ahhhh, you have teleportation capabilities. Fascinating."
They were invited to tour the ship. Riku wasn't so interested in the workings of the Legacy as he was in her crew because everyone, everyone smelled.
The Darkness was thick enough to spread on toast and eat with breakfast. Not that you'd want to. The Captain was bright and clear- swirls of darkness in her that she kept under tight control- to use against the truly worthy. Mister Arrow was a pure breeze in the midst of everyone else's stench, but there was Darkness in him too- enough that he wasn’t afraid of doing what had to be done.
Dr. Doppler lacked their strength of darkness- the most normal of them all. Mister Silver had an odd sparkle of light to him in the midst of his darkness. He might... might be worth trusting. The rest were dark. Not only dark but Dark, through and through. Captain Amelia seemed to know it, and her expression was wry as she declined their offer of aid.
Sora was still trying to talk her into it. Kairi stood close by them, playing with the tiny shape shifter who kept making himself into different pieces of jewelry and refused to leave her hair/ears/neck/arms. They lingered near the Gummi, anchored by well-knotted ropes on the starboard side of the ship.
Riku moved nonchalantly to the side of the cabin boy, who looked at them with no little envy and tried to pretend he was doing anything but.
"Watch Scroup," Riku muttered to Jim- who reminded him way, way too much of himself at the same age. "He's the worst of the lot."
The kid flinched, didn't pause the slide of his mop against the deck. "What'd you know?" he said, sullen, but wary. He knew what was going on- at least in part.
"I know a crew of pirates when I see 'em," Riku murmured. He moved on, back to his friends.
They parted ways with the Legacy and Riku watched the ship grow smaller out the windows, frowning.
"He'll be alright," Kairi said.
It was a testament to how far Riku had come- he didn't feel embarrassed, didn't feel like he needed to hide what he'd been thinking. He simply nodded.
"I hope so."
"No," Sora grinned at the screen. "We're good! But you're welcome to come to Hollow Bastion with us- since we're all nearly there anyway."
Donald grumbled something about making them come all this way for nothing, but he didn't sound as annoyed as he could have.
"Aw gee, fellas," King Mickey grinned. "It's a swell offer, but we've gotta check up on Master Yen Sid. If you're still around when we're done there, we'll stop in to say hi!"
"I guess we'll just have to stay longer then," Riku smirked.
They exchanged goodbyes and shut off the comm., then took off in different directions- watching as the King's ship disappearing into space. There was silence as they closed in on Hollow Bastion. Then Kairi's lips parted-
"Oh."
Riku glanced at her, blinked at the brilliant smile and the slight shimmer in her eyes.
"The sky may be dark
and the wind may be blowing,
but the sea is your friend
and you know where you're going,
fly on, grey seagull
fly on.
Fly on, grey seagull
fly on."
There was silence- peaceful joy and expectation, then Sora began to laugh.
"Guys..." he swiveled in his chair, grinned at them, eyes shining, "we did it." They blinked... and understood. Sora rubbed his hand over the console. "It's not exactly a raft-"
Kairi smiled broadly, "And we've already been to Hollow Bastion."
“But we did it! We finally did it.”
Riku grinned. "It's not really about the destination." They smiled at him, agreed with him. It wasn't where you were going, and it wasn't how you got there that made a journey.
It was the people who traveled with you.
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